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CLINICAL TRIAL article

Front. Pediatr.
Sec. Pediatric Critical Care
Volume 12 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fped.2024.1490247

Effect of taurine supplementation on preventing ventilator-associated pneumonia in pediatrics under mechanical ventilation, a randomized controlled double-blind clinical trial

Provisionally accepted
Nasrin Shirzad Yazdi Nasrin Shirzad Yazdi 1Eslam Shorafa Eslam Shorafa 2*Seyedeh Narjes Abootalebi Seyedeh Narjes Abootalebi 2Reza Heidari Reza Heidari 2Katayoon Hojabri Katayoon Hojabri 2*Marziyeh Doostfatemeh Marziyeh Doostfatemeh 2*Fatemeh Masjedi Fatemeh Masjedi 2Afsaneh Vazin Afsaneh Vazin 1*Mojtaba Shafiekhani Mojtaba Shafiekhani 1*
  • 1 School of Pharmacy, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
  • 2 Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Fars, Iran

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Introduction: One of the most prevalent healthcare-associated infections in the pediatric intensive care unit is ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). VAP not only results in prolonged hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) stays but also imposes higher costs on patients and the healthcare system. Therefore, it is essential to implement preventive measures. The lung-protective properties of taurine are recognized, and this research focuses on assessing the impact of taurine supplementation in preventing VAP. Method: This double-blind, randomized clinical trial was conducted at Namazi Hospital's PICUs. The study included pediatrics on mechanical ventilation for over 48 hours. Patients were randomly divided into two groups: the taurine and placebo groups. Alongside the standard care, participants from both groups were administered taurine or placebo capsules (30 mg/kg. day) in divided doses from the day of PICU admission through PICU discharge. The incidence of VAP through clinical and laboratory evidence was considered the primary outcome. Results: Seventy-seven patients were included in the study, with 38 in the taurine group and 39 in the placebo group. VAP incidence was 7.9% in the taurine group and 64.1% in the placebo group. Taurine significantly reduced the duration of mechanical ventilation, ICU and hospital stay, and inotrope duration. The occurrence of septic shock was lower in the taurine group at 5.3%. Stepwise logistic regression showed that placebo receipt was the only risk factor for VAP, with placebo recipients being 20.8 times more likely to develop VAP. (P < 0.0001, OR 20.8, 95% CI 6.11–97.93) Taurine treatment also significantly reduced inflammatory markers such as CRP, pro-calcitonin, and interleukin-6 compared to placebo. Conclusion: Our results showed that taurine supplementation can reduce the incidence of VAP and the duration of mechanical ventilation, ICU, and hospital stay in critically ill pediatric patients.

    Keywords: pediatric intensive care unit, septic shock, Taurine, ventilator-associated pneumonia, Pneumonia

    Received: 02 Sep 2024; Accepted: 23 Dec 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Shirzad Yazdi, Shorafa, Abootalebi, Heidari, Hojabri, Doostfatemeh, Masjedi, Vazin and Shafiekhani. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    Eslam Shorafa, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, 71348-14336, Fars, Iran
    Katayoon Hojabri, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, 71348-14336, Fars, Iran
    Marziyeh Doostfatemeh, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, 71348-14336, Fars, Iran
    Afsaneh Vazin, School of Pharmacy, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
    Mojtaba Shafiekhani, School of Pharmacy, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.